A MORE HEALTHY WAY
«Take life easy, eat, drink, and enjoy yourself»: this refrain of the rich man in the Gospel parable isn’t new. It’s been the ideal of more than a few throughout history, but today it’s being lived out on a grand scale and under a social pressure that’s so strong that it’s difficult to cultivate a way of living that’s more restrained and healthy.
It’s been a while since modern society has institutionalized consumption: almost everything is directed to enjoying products, services and always new experiences. The refrain of well-being is clear: «Give yourself to the good life». What’s offered to us by means of publicity is youthfulness, elegance, security, naturalness, power, wellbeing, happiness. We need to feed our life by consumption.
Another decisive factor in the march of today’s society is fashion. There always have been changing currents and tastes in the history of peoples. What’s new is the «rule of fashion» that has become the principal guide in modern society. No longer are religions or ideologies what direct the behavior of the masses. Publicity and the seduction of fashion are substituting for Church, family or school. It’s fashion that teaches us how to live and satisfy the «artificial needs» of the moment.
Another feature that marks the modern way of living is the seduction of the senses and the concern for appearance. You should take care of the body, your figure, your weight, the gym and checkups; you need to learn new therapies and remedies; you need to closely follow medical and diet suggestions. You need to learn to «feel good» about yourself and others; you need to know how to move skillfully in the area of sex: know every way possible to take advantage of, enjoy and accumulate new experiences.
It would be wrong to «demonize» this society that offers so many possibilities to care for the diverse dimensions of the human being and to develop an integral and integrating life. But it’s just as wrong to allow ourselves to be frivolously dragged by whatever fad or ad, reducing existence to just material wellbeing. The Gospel parable invites us to discover the insensitivity that can be hidden in this approach to life.
In order to get life right, it’s not enough to think it out well. The human being isn’t just an animal hungry for pleasure and wellbeing. We’re made also to cultivate the spirit, know friendship, experience the mystery of the transcendent, be grateful for life, live in solidarity. It’s useless to complain about today’s society. What’ s important is to act intelligently.
José Antonio Pagola
Translator: Fr. Jay VonHandorf
